Upgrading to La Premiére
Apr 4, 2018, 6:08 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
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Apr 18, 2018, 11:36 am
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Flying Blue
Posts: 47
I spoke with one of the managers of La Premiere today.
It was kind of revealing how less they are aware of their own policies and logic.
First important point is that I was not supposed to get that offer at all. It is not possible to get an offer to be upgraded to La Premiere from an Y fare ticket at all, also not if you have used miles to upgrade yourself via the Platinum Service Line or FB help desk with miles (or money)from Y to J. So the agents at the check in made a mistake. They are only allowed and able to offer upgrades to La Premiere for Platinum members that purchased a J fare ticket and he also said that not all J fare classes are eligible for an upgrade offer. Deeply discounted J fares are not. Even though a Gold (or less) FB member had a full fare J ticket, they will not offer an upgrade with money or miles.
Second, the manager was not aware that an one way award ticket from CDG to JFK in La Premiere costs 200.000 miles. He thought it’d cost 440.000 so he wasn’t understanding why I thought that 190.000 was way too much for an upgrade from a paid J fare to La Premiere. I asked him: why pay a J fare and an additional 190.000 miles while it’s possible to get an award ticket for 200.000 and “only” 261 euro in taxes?
His argument was that you don’t get miles on an award ticket and that there is more availability on J to La Premiere upgrades than award tickets. These have a different fare code.
But it he admitted that it wouldn’t be interesting to do so if there is an award ticket available.
So bottom line is that an award ticket is the least expensive way to fly La Premiere except when there is an error fare and you are lucky.
It was kind of revealing how less they are aware of their own policies and logic.
First important point is that I was not supposed to get that offer at all. It is not possible to get an offer to be upgraded to La Premiere from an Y fare ticket at all, also not if you have used miles to upgrade yourself via the Platinum Service Line or FB help desk with miles (or money)from Y to J. So the agents at the check in made a mistake. They are only allowed and able to offer upgrades to La Premiere for Platinum members that purchased a J fare ticket and he also said that not all J fare classes are eligible for an upgrade offer. Deeply discounted J fares are not. Even though a Gold (or less) FB member had a full fare J ticket, they will not offer an upgrade with money or miles.
Second, the manager was not aware that an one way award ticket from CDG to JFK in La Premiere costs 200.000 miles. He thought it’d cost 440.000 so he wasn’t understanding why I thought that 190.000 was way too much for an upgrade from a paid J fare to La Premiere. I asked him: why pay a J fare and an additional 190.000 miles while it’s possible to get an award ticket for 200.000 and “only” 261 euro in taxes?
His argument was that you don’t get miles on an award ticket and that there is more availability on J to La Premiere upgrades than award tickets. These have a different fare code.
But it he admitted that it wouldn’t be interesting to do so if there is an award ticket available.
So bottom line is that an award ticket is the least expensive way to fly La Premiere except when there is an error fare and you are lucky.
Apr 18, 2018, 1:16 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2017
Location: MAN
Programs: FB Platinum
Posts: 313
They are only allowed and able to offer upgrades to La Premiere for Platinum members that purchased a J fare ticket and he also said that not all J fare classes are eligible for an upgrade offer. Deeply discounted J fares are not. Even though a Gold (or less) FB member had a full fare J ticket, they will not offer an upgrade with money or miles.
Apr 22, 2018, 10:21 am
#19
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,532
Originally Posted by Thijs Luyt;29656500[b
]I spoke with one of the managers of La Premiere today.[/b]
It was kind of revealing how less they are aware of their own policies and logic.
First important point is that I was not supposed to get that offer at all. It is not possible to get an offer to be upgraded to La Premiere from an Y fare ticket at all, also not if you have used miles to upgrade yourself via the Platinum Service Line or FB help desk with miles (or money)from Y to J. So the agents at the check in made a mistake. They are only allowed and able to offer upgrades to La Premiere for Platinum members that purchased a J fare ticket and he also said that not all J fare classes are eligible for an upgrade offer. Deeply discounted J fares are not. Even though a Gold (or less) FB member had a full fare J ticket, they will not offer an upgrade with money or miles.
Second, the manager was not aware that an one way award ticket from CDG to JFK in La Premiere costs 200.000 miles. He thought it’d cost 440.000 so he wasn’t understanding why I thought that 190.000 was way too much for an upgrade from a paid J fare to La Premiere. I asked him: why pay a J fare and an additional 190.000 miles while it’s possible to get an award ticket for 200.000 and “only” 261 euro in taxes?
His argument was that you don’t get miles on an award ticket and that there is more availability on J to La Premiere upgrades than award tickets. These have a different fare code.
But it he admitted that it wouldn’t be interesting to do so if there is an award ticket available.
So bottom line is that an award ticket is the least expensive way to fly La Premiere except when there is an error fare and you are lucky.
It was kind of revealing how less they are aware of their own policies and logic.
First important point is that I was not supposed to get that offer at all. It is not possible to get an offer to be upgraded to La Premiere from an Y fare ticket at all, also not if you have used miles to upgrade yourself via the Platinum Service Line or FB help desk with miles (or money)from Y to J. So the agents at the check in made a mistake. They are only allowed and able to offer upgrades to La Premiere for Platinum members that purchased a J fare ticket and he also said that not all J fare classes are eligible for an upgrade offer. Deeply discounted J fares are not. Even though a Gold (or less) FB member had a full fare J ticket, they will not offer an upgrade with money or miles.
Second, the manager was not aware that an one way award ticket from CDG to JFK in La Premiere costs 200.000 miles. He thought it’d cost 440.000 so he wasn’t understanding why I thought that 190.000 was way too much for an upgrade from a paid J fare to La Premiere. I asked him: why pay a J fare and an additional 190.000 miles while it’s possible to get an award ticket for 200.000 and “only” 261 euro in taxes?
His argument was that you don’t get miles on an award ticket and that there is more availability on J to La Premiere upgrades than award tickets. These have a different fare code.
But it he admitted that it wouldn’t be interesting to do so if there is an award ticket available.
So bottom line is that an award ticket is the least expensive way to fly La Premiere except when there is an error fare and you are lucky.
Apr 22, 2018, 11:23 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Flying Blue
Posts: 47
i filed a compliant because I think it is ridiculous to make a “special” offer to Platinum members that is actually higher than the regular award rates that are high enough for themselves.
So I got a phone call from the manager of La Premiere. That is how he introduced himself. An English man, based in London.
So I got a phone call from the manager of La Premiere. That is how he introduced himself. An English man, based in London.
Jan 10, 2019, 3:30 am
#23
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
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(Change fee associated with your ticket) + (Fare difference between [the fare already paid] and [the current P fare for your flight])
In other words - almost certainly more expensive than having paid for P outright in the first place!
Jan 10, 2019, 10:01 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Boston area, US
Programs: FB (platinum for life), AAdvantage (exec platinum), Aeroflot Bonus (gold)
Posts: 258
Frankly speaking, I don't understand what it is all about...
I was op-uped once from paid Z to F because of overbooking and didn't find it particularly exclusive. Yes, they had a table spoon of sturgeon caviar as a starter, but when I am in Moscow, I go to the fish market and buy 100g of even better stuff from Siberia for as little as 45EUR -- and I can even take it on the plane if I want to! The rest of the F meal wasn't that impressive -- Alitalia serves better food in J. The seat wasn't exceptionally comfortable either and it was noisy in the cabin (it was B777-200). When I fly J, I sleep and don't care too much about the quality of service but do care about the comfort of the seat and the noise level in the cabin.
My opinion is that paying 200k or 440k miles or $2-3k for 20g of caviar, a few glasses of expensive booze, a wider seat + PJ/white sheets, and lounge access at CDG is a waste of money and miles.
P.S.: fully agree with the statement that one shouldn't compare BA and AF first class products. BA's F is comparable to J on QR or QF and is just slightly better than Alitalia J.
I was op-uped once from paid Z to F because of overbooking and didn't find it particularly exclusive. Yes, they had a table spoon of sturgeon caviar as a starter, but when I am in Moscow, I go to the fish market and buy 100g of even better stuff from Siberia for as little as 45EUR -- and I can even take it on the plane if I want to! The rest of the F meal wasn't that impressive -- Alitalia serves better food in J. The seat wasn't exceptionally comfortable either and it was noisy in the cabin (it was B777-200). When I fly J, I sleep and don't care too much about the quality of service but do care about the comfort of the seat and the noise level in the cabin.
My opinion is that paying 200k or 440k miles or $2-3k for 20g of caviar, a few glasses of expensive booze, a wider seat + PJ/white sheets, and lounge access at CDG is a waste of money and miles.
P.S.: fully agree with the statement that one shouldn't compare BA and AF first class products. BA's F is comparable to J on QR or QF and is just slightly better than Alitalia J.
Jan 11, 2019, 8:47 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Amsterdam
Programs: EK Platinum, FB Ulti PFL, Marriott Ambassador, IHG Spire RA
Posts: 70
Jan 12, 2019, 4:25 am
#27
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 1,589
I got an offer to uograde JFK-CDG for EUR 1700.
I cannot afford it but if I were super-loaded I would take it because it is nice there. If you are suoer-loaded and you love luxury it is a product for you. Or for a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Otherwise business is usually very nice.
I cannot afford it but if I were super-loaded I would take it because it is nice there. If you are suoer-loaded and you love luxury it is a product for you. Or for a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Otherwise business is usually very nice.
Jan 12, 2019, 12:48 pm
#28
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,361
My opinion is that paying 200k or 440k miles or $2-3k for 20g of caviar, a few glasses of expensive booze, a wider seat + PJ/white sheets, and lounge access at CDG is a waste of money and miles.
Clearly, for me, paying for flying F on AF would not begin to make sense given my financial circumstances. However,if my income was 100 times what it is, then it would be a different story and I would probably fly F and I do not think that I would ask myself whether it was value for money nor care particularly about the price of caviar on Moscow street markets.
Jan 12, 2019, 2:18 pm
#29
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Besides, above a certain price point, especially when two or more pax are traveling together, a private jet may become an attractive option. And those who really never need to consider the price of anything will probably already own one of those.
Johan
Jan 12, 2019, 2:24 pm
#30
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,361
Indeed but that particular demographic would not fly in F anyway (at normal F prices) whether on AF or anybody else, precisely because F never represents "value for money".
